One dead in East Knoxville crash

KNOXVILLE — One person was killed in an East Knoxville traffic crash this afternoon when a car struck a utility pole, police said.

The single-vehicle crash was reported just after 1 p.m. on the 3200 Brooks Avenue, according to Knoxville Police Department Lt. Bryan Malone.

The driver of a Nissan Sentra was traveling east when he lost control of the vehicle and struck the utility pole, snapping it in two, he said.

A male passenger in the vehicle was transported to the University of Tennessee Medical Center where he died soon after, Malone said. The victim was not identified by police, pending notification of family.

The driver received minor injuries and refused treatment. He was taken to the hospital, however, for a mandatory blood draw to test for the presence of drugs and alcohol.